Brush-holder.



No. 676,298. Patent d lune n, 190:.

A. F. BATCHELDER.

BRUSH HOLDER.

l {Application filed Feb. 28, 1901.

{N0 Model.)

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Y I UNITED STATES PATE T OFFICE.

ASA FRED BATCHELDER, OF SOHENEOTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF NEW YORK.

BRUSH-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letter's'Eatent No. 676,298, dated June 11, 1901.

Application filed February 28, 1901. Serial No. 49,198. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that LAsA FRED BATCHELDER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Schenectady, county ofSchenectady, State of New York, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Brush-Holders, (Case No. 1,695,) of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in brush-holders for electric machines; and it consists in providing an independent contactplate which has an extended surface in contact with the brush, but which is not secured or attached thereto in any manner whatsoever. This plate is adapted to be pressed against the brush by the brush-holder spring to force the brush against the commutator and to maintain good contact between the brush and the plate. Furthermore, the plate is carried by some movable part of theholder, such as the spring, sothat it is" readily removed from thetop'of thebrush when the tension of the spring is released. Contactplates have hitherto been soldered or integrally united with the brush and spring-clips have grippedthe brush, thus obtaining good electricalcontact with-the brush. Inthe present casethe contact-plate is entirely independent of the brush and relies absolutely upon the brush-holder spring to' maintain it in good contact with the brush.

Ofthedrawings, Figure l'is a vertical section, partly in elevation, of the brush-holder to which the invention is applied. Fig. 2 is a front View, of the same lookingv from the right toward Fig. 1, in which figure detail parts of the construction are shown in section; and Fig. 3 is avertical section of Fig. Lalong theline 1 1.',

The brush-holder show'n in thedrawingsis constructed in general accordance with the patenttoPriest, No'.'64t8,052; but it is contemplated thatthe invention may be applie .to any other desired brush-holder. I

The parts comprising the present embodi-. ment of the invention are designated by the 7 letters A, G, S, Q,,L, P, and G, while the parts of the-brush-holder as hitherto con- 1 f structed, which are about to .bedescribed,

' say are designated by the numerals. Pivotedto the main body of the brushvholderis an arm vmoved at all. p I

Vention. the. flexible cable 0 is secured to a 2, having secured in'its front end a braidedwire cable 3, which is connected at its other A :end with the main body of the holder.

leaf-spring Sis secured to the front end of :.the arm 2 and was formerly adapted to bear directly on the top of the brush. The brush 6 is shown in engagement with its commutator 7. A helical spring 4 serves to draw the arm toward the box 5, in which the brush 6 isguided and held. This brush-holder was especially adapted to be used in connection with railway-motors, and, as well known, brush-holders used in this class of work are subjected to peculiarly severe duty and hardship. The objections to this brushholder' were that all the current flowed through the spring S, thereby necessarily-affecting its resiliency, and, furthermore, there were several joints to be traversed by the current, which m'ade'an imperfect electrical circuit. Furthermore, there was considerable friction and consequent wear between the top of the brush and the end of the spring S, due

to the continual vibration of the end of the spring ac'rossthe surface of the brush. The greatest ex ih'howevebwas that the heat developed at the small contact between the brush and spring frequently caused the brush to disintegrate. To obviate these diflicu1ties,

plate formed integral with the brush or with a spring-clip which gripped the brush there would be considerable diflicultyin removing the brush from the box 5, and in any event the'cablewould have to beof'considerable length in order to permitthe brush to be re- In accordance with this incontact-plate Ain' good'conducting relation withjr'espeet thereto {but this plate is not se-' curedor-attached to the brush- This plate A has"lanextendedsurface area in contact loo;

lhenctica'uses th i l ei ibe l t di i with the top of the brush much greater than i energy, substantially as good contact is ob-' the end of the springs is permitted to move while at thefsame f time the plate'A is'fheld 1 S-is 'taken on'the'top of the-plate A'ins't'ead .of,as formerly, onf the end of the brush it self; Theplate isi attached@tothespringS' and brush-holdenvin the sense thatthey are "is not essential thatit should be carried by ,the'spring'fifor it might 'be'carried by any 'any other desired'spring if a diiferent spring stance, if the helical spring ,4 wereused to ,bear upon the plate A to press-it againstthe that which the spring S formerly had,-so that little heat is generated. The plate beingco extensive with the top of the brush is held immovable-within the box 5, so that there is no friction and wear between the plate and the brush. Since current flows directly through the plate to the cable C,- there is little flow of current through the spring S, and this is collected, as formerly, by the cable 3.- The plate A may be independent of the rest of the brush-holder, and preferably is carried by the end of the spring S, so that when it is desired to remove the brush and the arm 2 is lifted up against the tension of the helical spring 4 the plate is carried upward also and the brush canbe removed from the box 5 without any difficulty, such as would be attendant upon its removal if the cable C were permanently connected to the brush-by a plate secured or attached to the latter. The impor-; tance of the improvement willbe more clear when it is noted that the permanent connections of the cable 0 are all made with respect to the brush-holder and not with respect to the brush, the former being the permanent part ofthe apparatus and the latter being the part which is subject to wear, destruction,and replacement. Since the plate. A is pressed against the brush with considerable tained as if the plate were integrally united with or securely attached to the brush.

It is evident that the plate A and the cable 0 are essentially independent of the brush not limited in their-application to any special type of holder. jFurthermore, in. case the plate A is carried to move with the arm 2 it other part, of the movable arm 2,-or, in fact, any other movable part of theholder. I The tion with the springS'rnight be replaced by were used to bear. on therplateas, for inbrush; I

In-the specific construction herein shown with respect to the springs the latter is slotted, as shown at 0, 'and fpassing upwardly through the slot isa lug L, formed on the upp'er'portion of" the plate"A. By this means freely over the upper surface of the plate A,

from" movement by the walls of the box 5'. Thus the Wear of the in ovable end of the sprin g P: Whichre'stson the top ofthespring, and

flaring guides foiflsaidplate. Y

jand'i's freely in spring S when the arm 2 is raised.- In order to secure the pin in position, it is provided with a groove V, and after it is inserted in the hole in the lug L the upper Wall of this hole is forced down into the groove V.

The plate A itself may be of any suitable I construction ordimensions, so long as it has an extended lower surface in contact with the top of the brush; The braided-wire cable 0 may be secured to the plate A in any suitable manner, provided that there is good contact A the portion A is secured to they portion A by rivets R or othersuitable means, whereby a considerable portion of the length of the;

cable is securely clamped between the two portions of the plate. The free ends of. the

cable 0 are preferably secured to the main. body of the brush-holder, as is the free end;

I It will be noted that all three of the cable-lengths of the cable 3, as shown in Fig. 3.

extend through the inside of the helical spring 4, whereby they are protected from injury and are disposed of in a very convenientmanner. This arrangement could not be resorted ,to if the cable (3 were'permanently connected with the brush, as there would not be ajsuf ficient length, of the cable free to permit the removal of the brush' from' the box 5. When. anew brush has been inserted in the box 5,

the arm 2, which has been heldin a raised position to permit such insertion, is permitted to be drawn down by the helical spring 4, and

the guidesG, formed'as the flaring upper edges of the box 5, guide the plate A'into its;

proper'position uponthe top of the brush. 3

\Vhat I claim asnew, and desire to secure by Let ters 'Patent of the United States, is+ 1. The combination with a brush-holder, of

an independent contact-plate h'aving an ex:

tended surface in contact with thebrush, a,

spring carriedbyth e holder to force the brush against thecoinmutator,and aloose connec-..- in

the .spring can move freelyover the surface tion between the, spring and plate, whereby of the'plate;

2. The combinat an independent contact-platehaving an extended surface in'contact with th a. The combinationwitha brush-holder, r

tended surfacein en gagement withl t e brush,

,andas r1 jin thefollowing manner:,Arhol'eyis' formed in the lug L, and in this'holeis insertedap'in" t lp t 5. combinatio h-holder,

ion with abrnsh-holdenof v e brush, and

an independent contact-plate havingv an exten'dedsurface in engagementwith the brush and a'spring carried by theholder which car-.-

j ries said plate and forces it against the brush. I

4." The combination-with abrush-holder, of I .an independent Icon'tact-plate having an'exan independent contact-plate having an extended surface in engagement with the brush,

' and a spring which carries said plate and forces itagainst the brush. 7

6. The combination with a brush-holder, of an independent contact-plate having an extended surface in engagement with the brush, and a spring which carries said plate and forces it against the brush and is freely movable over the surface of the plate.

7. The combination with a brush-holder, of

an independent contact-plate, and a spring which carries said plate and forces it against the brush, the connection of the plate and spring being loose to permit the springto move freely over the plate.

8. The combination with a brush-holder, of

a spring-actuated member, and an independ-' ent plate carried thereby which. has an extended surface in engagement with the brush,

and a brush-box on the holder, which has flaring upper sides, to guide the plate upon the brush.

9. The combination with a brushholder, of a plate having an extended surface in engagement withthe brush, a spring pressing the plate against thebrush,- a slot in the spring, anda lug on the plate which extends through said slot.

10. The combination with a brush-holder,

of a plate, a spring forcing the plate against the brush, a slot in the spring, a lug on the plate extending through the slot, a hole in the lug above the spring, and apin in said hole.

11. The combination with a brush-holder, of a plate, a spring, a slot in the spring, a lug on theplate, a hole in the lug, a pin having of an independent plate, a movable member I which carries said plate, and a flexible nonresilient conductor or cable secured to said plate.

14. The combination with a brush-holder,

a groove and located in the hole in the lug, and the upper wall of the hole in the lug extending into the groove in the pin, to maintain the latter in place,

12. The combination with a brushholder, of an independent plate having an extended surface in engagement with the brush, a movable member of the holder, which carries said plate, and a flexible non-resilient conductor orcable secured to said plate in good conducting relation with respect thereto.

13,. The combination with a brush-holder,

tion withrespect thereto.

of an independent plate, a spring-actuated member which carries said plate, and a flexible non-resilient conductor or cable secured to said plate. v

15. The combination with a brush-holder,

of an independent plate, a spring which car' ries said plate and forces it against the brush, and a flexible non-resilient conductor or cable secured to the said plate.

16. The combination with a brush-holder, of an independent plate having an extended surfacein engagement with the brush, a movable member of the holder, which carries said plate, and a flexible non-resilient conductor orcable secured to said plate, and to the brush-holder.

17. The combination with a brush-holder,

of an independent platehaving an extended surface, a movable member of the holder, to which said plate is mechanically connected, and a braided-wire cable secured to the said plate.

18. The combination with a brush-holder,

of an independent plate having an extended surface in contact with the brush, a braidedwire cable secured to said plate, means for forcing the plate against the brush, and a mechanical connection between the plate andv a movable part of the holder.

19; 'The combination with a brush-holder, of an independent plate, consisting of two portions secured together, and a flexible nonresilient conductor or cable clamped between said portions.

20. The combination with a brush-holder, of an independent plate, consisting of two portions secured together, and a flexiblenonresilient conductor or cable looped between and clamped by said portions ofthe plate, and

having its two free ends connected to the circuit.

21. The combination with an independent contact-piecehaving an extended surface. 7

adapted to engage the brush, and carried by a movable member of the brush-holder, of a flexible non-resilient conductor secured to said contact-piece in good conducting rela- In witness whereof'I have hereunto set my hand this 25th day of February, .1901.

ASA FRED BATOHELDER.

Witnesses:

BENJAMIN B. HULL, EDWARD WILLIAMS, Jr. 

